Usain Bolt Schedule: First London Games Test Comes August 4 for Sprint Champ

Michael Steele/Getty Images

Jamaica's Usain Bolt dazzled the world with his triple gold performance on the track in Beijing at the 2008 Olympics.

He became the first athlete since Carl Lewis in 1984 to win three sprint gold medals. He triumphed in the 100-meter and 200-meter races, and helped his Jamaican team capture the 4 x 100-meter relay.

Bolt became a star for his outsized personality as much as his outsized talent.

According to the National Post, some questions surround Bolt's preparation for these games, after he lost to countryman Yohan Blake in both the 100-meter and 200-meter races at the Jamaican Olympic track trials last month.

But Bolt says he knows how to be ready to bring his best when it counts, and that's the mark of a true superstar. On July 26, he told the BBC:

"This is the moment that is going to define my entire life. A lot of people say I am a legend, but this is going to define me as a legend. I think I am probably 95% fit but I am in great shape."

At age 25, Bolt should be at his sprinting prime, and we could see him shatter more records.

In addition to his triple-gold defense, he's hinting that he's willing to run for Jamaica in the 4 x 400-meter relay if they need him. "If I feel like I'm up to it after the 200m, then why not? For my country, I would do it, if it was necessary," he said.

The 4x400-meters will run its preliminary on August 9 and its final on August 10, the same days as two of his other events.

Here's a look at the schedule for the three events where Bolt will be defending his gold medals.

Men's 100-Meter Sprint

Bolt captures gold in the 100m August 16, 2008
Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Usain Bolt holds both the Olympic and world records at 100 metres.

The Olympic record was set in Beijing on August 16 2008, in a time of 9.69.

The world record was set at the World Championships in Berlin on August 16 2009, in a time of 9.58.

Here's the competition schedule:

Preliminaries: Saturday August 4  10:00 a.m. London time    (5 a.m. EDT, 2 a.m. PDT) (Note: Bolt and the other top sprinters get a bye.)

Round 1:  Saturday August 4  12:30 p.m. London time    (7:30 a.m. EDT, 4:30 a.m. PDT)

Semifinals: Sunday August 5  7:45 p.m. London time    (2:45 p.m EDT, 11:45 a.m. PDT)

Final: Sunday August 5  9:50 p.m. London time    (4:50 p.m. EDT, 1:50 p.m. PDT)

Men's 200-Meter Sprint

Usain Bolt wins gold in the 200 m August 20, 2008
Mark Dadswell/Getty Images

Usain Bolt holds both the Olympic and world records at 200 metres.

The Olympic record was set in Beijing on August 20 2008, in a time of 19.30.

The world record was set at the World Championships in Berlin on August 20 2009, in a time of 19.19.

Here's the competition schedule:

Round 1:  Tuesday August 7  11:50 a.m. London time    (6:50 a.m. EDT, 3:50 a.m. PDT)

Semifinals: Wednesday August 8  8:10 p.m. London time    (3:10 p.m EDT, 12:10 p.m. PDT)

Final: Thursday August 9  8:55 p.m. London time    (3:55 p.m. EDT, 12:55 p.m. PDT)

Men's 4 X 100-Meter Relay

The Jamaican Team wins Gold Aug 22, 2008
Michael Steele/Getty Images

The Jamaican team holds both the Olympic and world records at 100 metres.

The Olympic record was set in Beijing on August 22 2008, in a time of 37.10.

The world record was set in Daegu South Korea on Sept 4 2011, in a time of 37.04.

Here's the competition schedule:

Round 1:  Friday August 10  7:45 p.m. London time    (2:45 p.m. EDT, 11:45 a.m. PDT)

Final: Saturday August 11  9:00 p.m. London time    (5:00 p.m. EDT, 2:00 p.m. PDT)

 

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